Yours and Mine
by Dragon's Clan
Summary: Life can be unpredictable, even if you fall for someone in seven days and confess to them. Especially if it means the one that's doing the falling happens to be the mysterious-and-coming-back-from-being-missing Kudo Shinichi. Fem!Kaito, Male!Aoko included. Third chap is up, and yes, I'm alive.
1. Prologue

**Yours and Mine**

Summary: Life can be unpredictable, even if you fall for someone in seven days and confess to them. Especially if it means the one that's doing the falling happens to be the mysterious-and-coming-back-from-being-missing Kudo Shinichi.

Extended Summary: An eventual ShinFemKai story with some ShinRan, one-sided genderbent!AoKai, and eventual MaleAoRan pairing mixed into this story. It's also somewhat au canon verse. Life can be unpredictable, even if you fall for someone in seven days and confess to them. Especially if it means the one that's doing the falling happens to be the mysterious-and-coming-back-from-the-being-missing Kudo Shinichi.

Note: This is post Black Org taken down, Shinichi got his body back and well the organization after Kid is still gunning after her and Pandora. Also from the way the anime/manga canon verse is going, the time from when Shinichi shrunk to the current present, it's possible to go with 2 years and a half to 3 years, and even then, emotional attachment and betrayal is still going to be messy to those that are connected. It depends on the person in how to forgive, excluding those that already know that Conan being Shinichi and vice versa, that list is way too long, not to mention getting on a female's wrath. Hell hath no fury of a woman scorn. Ganbatte canon Kudo Shinichi in surviving Ran's wrath if he gets around to tell her. Also ganbatte to canon Kuroba Kaito with Kaitou Kid to Aoko's wrath. That would hurt.

Extra-Note: Oh yeah, canon verse, Kid/Kaito has yet to know who Conan is, and by canon verse, I meant the anime/manga verse, which is excluding movies and ovas as well.

Extra-Extra-Note: And before you ask? I've actually never intended to make an actual story of this. This is the result of a story that's has chapters being made back and forth, and me trying to connect it by threads and plots, getting rid of some plot holes, in the course of six or seven months. Hell, this story idea has been sitting in my phone notes and laptop, and refuses to take a hike.

Extra-Extra-Extra-Note: Sometimes the chapters are short, and not, but each chapter are linked together.

Character(s)/Pairing(s): Eventual ShinFem!Kai, ShinRan, one-sided genderbent!AoKai, Eventual Male!AoiRan.

Disclaimer: Detective Conan and Magic Kaitou are both owned by Aoyama. If I did own it, the plot would be beyond recognizable.

* * *

 **Prologue**

 _3 Months Ago_

A sixteen year-old girl blinked at the envelope she held in her hands. The fine emblem of Tokyo University was printed on the top left corner. (A/N: I've honestly have no idea of the actual envelope and the emblem of the university in Tokyo, so feel free to correct me wrong. I only remember those that I have from Canada where for the college that I studied in and trying to apply to a university, they always have their emblem on the top left corner.)

Although, curious enough, the letter was addressed to her. While she already have offers, this letter, she could barely recalled as to why it was sent to her in the first place. Her eyes widen slightly, and she tear it open slightly with the letter opener, carefully not to damage the contents, and out came a letter and a brown coin envelope. The letter, as it says:

 _To the chosen participant,_

 _Congratulations, you are one of the high school students in Japan we have chosen to take this extra curricular assignment. This assignment is optional, you have the option to not to partake it if it makes you uncomfortable. We, the staff of the Social Psychology Department of Tokyo University, will like for you to participate in this pen pal assignment. Enclose with this envelope, you are given your pen pal's email address and sms id to chat with for these four months. Each partner will take the time to observe the relationship you have with your partner. From then on, you can either choose to remain anonymous or acquaintance, whether it's going well or not, or whether your pen pal, with their consent, feels like they have some personal problems and would like to speak to an unbiased stranger. However we will like to hear a reflection report of your observations. A reflection report, no longer than three to five pages is required, along with a printed copy of notes you have taken while through these observations. A table of 10 to 15 sessions of this assignment is left with you behind this letter. If you would like to more sessions, feel free to do so and make an additional table. You are also allowed to guess who your pen pal is, whether they are in Japan or another country. Additional sign ups will be posted on the message boards of your school, the sign ups will end by this month. Remember, to have fun and try to get to know your pen pal before jumping to conclusion. The pair up of these pen pals, such as yours with your pen pal, is by random._

 _If by chance if something feels off with your pen pal, please contact the number below. You have the choice of wanting to change your pen pal, but the risk of the change is slight, if not sometimes, hard to connect. How we match these pairings is by matching your backgrounds, age and intelligence similar to your pen pals, which could also mean you might be even matched to someone in your school as well. We won't stress enough to say this, but this assignment is part of our study to. We won't be watching your progress because we will be busy doing ours from our circle of friends and random strangers we have already picked for our selves._

 _In case of wanting to back out while during the assignment, please contact the next number below the first one. Remember though, this extra assignment might be counted as part of your entry to your post-graduation school._

 _Enclose in a small envelope behind this letter is your pen pal's email address and sms id no._

 _Contact Numbers:_

 _Something Feel's off, please contact: +81-7028-9910_

 _If you want to leave, please contact: +81-9025-1174_

 _Sincerely,_

 _Shirotaka Himiko,_

 _Social Psychology Professor at Tokyo University._

 _Phd Of Human Behaviors_

 _Office Contact No.: +81-03-5481-2250_

 _Work Contact No.: +81-6772-5691_

The teenager eyes widen again, she carefully opened the coin envelope with scissors and out came two straps of paper. One strip of paper contained a type email address, another with the sms id number.

Her phone vibrated with a text message.

 _Hello? Are you perhaps id.348746? I'm Blue Child. – Blue Child_

She blinked again before smiling politely at the screen of her phone. She tried to think of a pen pal name she could easily remember.

 _Hello, you must id.259870 right? I'm Karate Girl, it's a pleasure to meet you Blue Child. I'm your partner for this extra curricular assignment. – Karate Girl_

 _So what do you think of this assignment? I actually thought it was interesting. – Blue Child_

 _So do I, although if my-_ The girl hesitated in texting, she wonders if calling her absent friend her significant other would be too personal…shaking her head slightly, she begins to type. _best friend would find it a little… – Karate Girl_

 _A little what? – Blue Child_

 _I think the word would be dubious. – Karate Girl_

 _*scoff* Ironically, your best friend is thinking the same thing as my best friend as well. – Blue Child_

The teenager blinked three times before smiling wryly with a tad of suspicion.

 _This is a guess, but is your best friend a teenage high school detective? – Karate Girl_.

 _No, she isn't. – Blue Child_

The girl couldn't help but wonder at the slight relieved disappointment she begins to feel.

 _She is a magician and a fan of Kaitou Kid, but I do have a classmate who is a high school detective. – Blue Child_

The girl blinked at this text, couldn't help but wonder at the odds and type in the next text in a hurry.

 _What's the detective's name? – Karate Girl_

The next text surprises her with a tang of disappointment.

 _Hakuba Saguru – Blue Child_

* * *

 _Present_

'Of all days to be late! Aoi will surely have my head this time!' One teenage Ekoda resident magician thought as she race down the street, and fervently prayed that she'd make it! Turning around the corner, she crashed into another person, who also happens to be running late, and their foreheads collided.

"Ow. Sorry about that. Are you alright?" The teenage male asked. Kaiya didn't open her eyes and kept nursing the bump on her forehead.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Ow." Hearing this as she winced in pain, the male walked towards her.

"Here, let me see." At the sound of his voice being too close to her, she opened her eyes to see the other teen pulling her hand away from her forehead and she was stunned to meet bluest blue eyes with a face that she seen constantly from her own mirror, with a matching bruise to match. The only difference would be the hair and the gender. The cowlicks and the tuft of hair from the back of his neck looked somewhat familiar, but she couldn't remember when she met someone with a similar appearance.

"Hm, it looks like it might bruise." The teenage boy hummed at this, the cerulean blue eyes looked familiar to her. She absently wondered where she had seen those shades of blue before, and fought down a blush as she noticed how close the teen is and how attractive he is.

"What are you? My doctor?"

"Hey, I'm trying to help." The teen frowned at this, and in a second, he was pulling her by the hand and dragging her away from the path of destination she was aiming for. Her school.

"We will need to make a detour though. C'mon."

"Hey!" All protests from her were left unheard as he pulled her into a park, leading her to a fountain. It wasn't long, but soon she found herself and her companion using the cool water to lessen the bruising.

"My best friend will kill me for being late for school today." Kaiya commented offhandedly, while the blue-eyed teen male smiles at her wryly.

"You're not the only one. I've already missed enough school. Being punched through a wall is not something I would like to experience nor on my agenda." Kaiya blinks at this.

"Wait, your best friend punched you through a wall?"

"Girlfriend and best friend. She's a karate captain of our school team, what about your best friend? If you end up dead, I should at least know the murder weapon if I were to bring the culprit to justice." Kaiya isn't sure whether to be flattered or disturbed, but at least she got a clue on who he is, despite being in the same age group as she is and a high school student as well. So she settled with being slightly flattered.

"Hahaha, your a regular knight in shining armor, aren't you?" Kaiya frowns when she hears the word 'murder weapon'.

"Wait, are you a detective?"

"Oh, I haven't introduced myself have I? My name is Kudo Shinichi, tantei, it's a pleasure to meet you." Shinichi said with a polite smirk, and Kaiya, while outwardly returning back the same greeting, inwardly, she's, er, having a minor panic attack so to say. For this person, in front of her, is the famed Heisei Holmes. ' _Kuso_. _Of all people, why did I have to bump into him?_ '

"If we're going with that order, then it's a pleasure to meet you Kudo-kun. My name is Kuroba Kaiya, amateur magician." She hopes she hadn't shown her nervousness when she clasps his hand with hers in a shake.

It was at this moment, the bell ranged. Both students rush and scrambled to collect their belongings.

"Ack! We're going to be late!" And accidentally block each other's way while echoing the other person's words.

"Sorry about that!" Again.

"I'm should go this way!" And again.

"You go ahead first!" And again.

"Are you doing this on purpose, Kuroba-san?" Shinichi asks jokingly bemused.

"Not really, I'm going this way. Ja ne." Kaiya calls out over her shoulder, running towards the direction of her school and the bell rang again, forcing Shinichi to remember that he has to attend his own school as well. It wasn't until he arrived to his classroom and a puzzled look from Ran, that he remembers that Kaiya never answered his question.

* * *

Kuso – Basically cursing, so in other words, 'shit' or 'damn' is most accurate.

Ja ne – See ya (casually or informally).

TBC


	2. First Day

**First Day**

A/N: A little bit of meaning of the title, is that I've taken it from one of the lines of Kingdom Hearts II during its opening credits, and seriously if I made this into an anime, there's bound to be some sort of drama, romance, and the opening of it will be 'Clair de Lune' by miwa while the second season op is also by Infinite, 'Nothing's Over'.

Note: If any of the phone numbers that were mentioned in this fic, happens to be real, then it's by pure coincidence.

Author's Note: I'm not dead, just busy.

* * *

 _Two and a Half Months Ago_

It's actually ridiculous, the teenage girl thought. While she does feel like she is floating in remembering how he confessed to her in front of the Big Ben and the Parliament in UK, she couldn't recall as to why her hand is itching for her cell phone in order to wait for her to call _him_ or for waiting for her pen pal to contact her after her homework is mostly done. As if on cue, her phone vibrated, notifying her she has gotten a message.

 _Hey, how are you doing today? – Blue Child_

The teen girl smiled at the text greeting, and she quickly typed back.

 _Hey, I'm fine. I've made a new friend. How are you? Have you confessed to her yet?_ _– Karate Girl_

There was a pause and the teen girl couldn't help but wonder if the other did managed to confess.

 _No, and I'm less likely to be the holder of her affections. – Blue Child_

The teen girl stared at the text message, its almost like Blue Child feels disgruntled and a little depressed.

 _Why? – Karate Girl_

 _It's not that I don't like her, don't get me wrong. She is my childhood best friend, and I do love her…I just don't connect with her like I usually do. – Blue Child_

 _But you do love her right? I mean, shouldn't that be easy to say those three words? – Karate Girl_

 _It isn't, you'll be surprised as to how difficult it is to do so. – Blue Child_

The teenage girl feels sympathy at this, knowing that she never did outright confessed to the person who she loves.

… _plus, I think I've already lost. – Blue Child_

 _Why is that? – Karate Girl_

 _She seems to be more cheerful than she usually is, more genuine, it's almost like…never mind. Any luck on you're end? – Blue Child_

She blushed. It's been weeks since she remembered that fateful confession.

 _I…uh…well…he confessed that he likes me. – Karate Girl_

 _That's great, what did you say? – Blue Child_

She feels disheartened at seeing this question appeared on the screen. Disheartened at not replying when _he_ left and hadn't heard her reply.

 _He…didn't stay. He took off before I can reply. – Karate Girl_

 _Hm…well what's his confession like? – Blue Child_

 _I think it was 'You're a tough, troublesome case, you know! With all these distracting emotions…Even if I were Holmes it'd still be impossible to figure out! The heart of a girl whom one likes…How can anyone accurately deduce that?' – Karate Girl_

She replied with a blush and a smile, remembering the confession quite clearly and word for word.

 _Wow. – Blue Child_

 _You're amazed? – Karate Girl_

 _Yes…still though, what do you think? – Blue Child_

 _What do you mean? – Karate Girl_

 _I'm not second-guessing with you're feelings towards the confession, I'm just wondering what does you're mind think about it? – Blue Child_

The teenage girl blinks in surprised, no one, not even her closest friends, had ever asked that question. Most had assumed, including Sonoko, that herself and _him_ will eventually get married out of high school due to best friends and pursued their dreams together. Thinking back to the confession, and trying not to think too much and blush about it, she is surprised to find that she is left with more questions than answers. Almost immediately understanding Blue Child's words in trying to say those three words to the one they love.

 _I guess…would it be wrong to say that I doubt it just a little bit? – Karate Girl_

 _Actually, it's ok, but preferably could you talk to him instead of me about this? It's not that I don't mind talking to you, but I feel a little awkward about it. – Blue Child._ The teenage girl let out a snort of amusement.

 _Ah, you're right perhaps. Just one more thing, can we try and figure out the identity of each other? – Karate Girl_

 _I don't see why not. How about we make this a little interesting? – Blue Child_

 _Interesting? How? – Karate Girl_

 _Let's leave a clue or a hint in each session we have. Baring the actual names and some information, we can leave a clue for each one of us to start. – Blue Child_

 _Ok? – Karate Girl_

 _How about I'll start? I'm seventeen. – Blue Child_

 _What a coincidence, I'm seventeen as well – Karate Girl_

 _Huh. Well the university did background checks of the chosen students. – Blue Child_

 _Can we make it even more interesting? – Karate Girl_

 _Uh sure. – Blue Child_

 _Let's try and find each other if both of us ends up outdoors before the deadline. – Karate Girl_

 _That sounds fun. I'm game. – Blue Child_

* * *

 _Present_

At the strangled noise, Kaiya looked up and saw Hakuba looking at her weirdly. More specifically at the book in her hands, from a glance out of the corner of her eyes, she can see Aoi talking to his other best female friend. She feels irritated but manages to push that emotion away from her eyes.

"You're reading law." Her blond classmate stated, almost as if he couldn't believe what he's seeing.

"Uh yes, Captain Obvious." Kaiya answered with a raised eyebrow, shooting him a look, asking if he need's to see the nurse. Hakuba let's out a sigh.

"You're reading _law_." Hakuba said as he gestures to the title of the very book in her hands. The 'Federal Criminal Code and Rules, Revised 20XX ed.' is a hefty book, but it was given to her and she doesn't want to let it go to waste.

"Is this going to be a problem?" Kaiya drawled, unsure as to what the blond detective is talking about.

"Are you planning to switch sides?" Her blond classmate asked skeptically, and Kaiya raised an eyebrow and gives out a well-crafted smile.

"Whatever are you talking about? I just want to be one of those law-abiding citizens that are here." Kaiya said airily, as if stating the obvious and Hakuba scoffed, not quite believing her because of how many accusations he pinned her as being connected to Heisei Lupin. Ignoring the reaction of her classmate, friend-nope, more like acquaintances at best -, and continued to explaining her reasons.

"After all, you never know when someone you know of steps into a crime scene unknowingly."

"Thieves don't do that!" Hakuba hissed, and Kaiya's smile stretches to a mock grin.

"Oh really? Name one thief or say vigilante that don't use the law to their advantage." The silence has met the question. "and no matter how much you say, I'm not connected to Kid." She said as an afterthought. When she was met with more silence, she knew that she won this argument.

"Thought so." The blond male let's out an aggravated sigh.

"Look, just be careful ok?" She blinks at him, looking at him curiously and wondering where did the bout of concern came from.

"On what?"

"Just do." Blinking again, Kaiya isn't fond of Hakuba, but she knows that the blond won't hurt her, let alone outside of the heist, despite accusing her of being Kid, which is technically true, she knew that he has own way of caring. Thus, her lips curled into an amused grin.

"Oh is the great Hakuba that worried of little of me?" She teasingly asked, and was not surprised to see him abruptly moving away.

"You're full of yourself." Hakuba retorted over his shoulder, and Kaiya shook her head at this.

 _Pot, called kettle. Still, where are you Tantei-kun?_ Kaiya inwardly wondered, she hasn't seen him for two months now. It's almost like he had disappeared without a trace. That made her worry, and while she shouldn't, she reluctantly admits that Edogawa Conan is one of her fondest rivals. A detective she respected and loved to tease. Still, his disappearance is somewhat…making her feel unease.

* * *

 _Two and half months ago_

Another heist, another gem that isn't Pandora, and another successful evading but adrenaline inducing chase by her favorite taskforce. Her cheerful smile refused to fall because the high in her blood is still pumping. The only thing different is that she's late for her disappearance act and had miscalculated the intensity of the escape route. She pushed the rooftop door open with her white glove, and was not surprised that someone is already there.

Short stature, sitting against the iron fence is one of her notorious invitees. What surprised is that her rival wasn't paying attention, but merely reading a heavy textbook. If she hadn't noticed the book, she would have thought he was ignoring her. Which suited her just fine, as she quietly feels where the wind is heading. It was a quiet night, but she isn't quite ready to relax when the Lover's Heart rested in her breast pocket. The cold ruby necklace is beautiful, but not the one she is looking for. She was about to make a step forward, when his voice echoes into the night. She didn't mean to freeze in surprise, but observing Conan again, he didn't seem to look away from the book.

"You're late." She quietly snorted, and decided to change directions. Leaning against the fence, just like him, but from a respectable distance and outside of the lunging area.

"Not going to join in on the fun?" Her voice, low and distinctively male, asked playfully.

"As if I wanted to hear Nakamori-keibu's triad, you didn't answer the question." The corner of her cheerful, permanent grin twitched at this.

"Gomen, gomen. They seem to decide on making the level harder today." Kid said, shrugging her security uniform shoulders and raising her hands in mock apology.

"How did you know I would be here?" Kid asked curiously, mentally counted the minutes down.

"The weather forecast said there would be calm winds, even for occasional typhoons these days." He replied, flipping a page.

"What are you doing?" Casually asking, Kid glanced over at him, having realized that he had yet to move.

"Reading law." She blinked, and whipped her face to look at him. Despite the latex, she could still feel the cool air.

"Maji?" There was incredulous in her tone, and she knew that reading law, despite being the obvious bait hanging in front of him, she feels a little offended.

"Yes..." He replied, in a dry tone, not caring about his own reply to her question.

"Aren't I'm fun to be around with anymore?" He glanced, and noticed there was pout forming while she carefully cross her arms, avoiding anything to hide her figure.

"You are, I'm just catching up on some light reading."

"You call...reading law _light_?" Her tone becomes a little more doubtful.

"It's more for light study. Some of the cases I went through has to be done delicately. It's best to cover all angles." She blinks, and she canted her head, careful of her security cap on her head. Now that she thought of it, it made sense.

"Huh..." Conan closed the book, stood up and handed out the book towards her.

"Here." Cautiously she touched the book, contact lens eyes narrowing at the pseudo-child slightly in suspicion. Something was telling her that the situation is a bit off. Conan rolled his cerulean eyes, and lightly pushed the book into the thief's hands.

"You can have it, just don't forget to return it." With the book gone, he put his hands in the pockets of his brown pants and begins to walk away from the fence.

"Matte-!" The rest of the sentence was cut off, as the door was slammed open by Nakamori-keibu and the taskforce. Still sticky with the trap that was used to distract them, the wonderful trap is consisted of cornstarch, ping-pong balls, and honey.

"Kid!"

"Oh did I forgot that I left behind a clue for them to find us? Ja ne." The small detective said with a mischievous smile and was out of the door, Kaiya tched at this, annoyed at herself for falling into a trap.

"Well if it isn't Nakamori-keibu, and his band of merry men. I'm honored to have such a welcoming committee, but alas I have to be somewhere at the moment." A twist here, the dance of evasion has begun, and with a smoke bomb, she slips back into the crowd of policemen, and quietly slips away.

A jewel returned, a hefty book sitting on the table in front of her, and Kaiya ponders on the recent meeting with the small detective that almost felt like a goodbye. It wasn't until a few weeks later, one Edogawa Conan did not show up, the next heist becoming unfortunately, too easy, and a newspaper in her mailbox. The front page caught her attention.

'Kudo Shinichi returns from two long years of hiatus! Rogue Organization dismantled!'

Curiosity peaked as she took the newspaper, she begins to read about how a missing high school detective returned and how he worked with FBI, CIA, Japanese Secret Police, and Metropolitan Police took down an Organization that's been doing drugs trafficking, guns trafficking and hired assassins that's been hiding in Japan for god knows how long.

* * *

 _Present_

 _Seriously, where are you Tantei-kun? It's not like for you to miss a heist in your area._ Kaiya wonders. The last bell of the day has already tolled, and Kaiya waits outside of Aoi's clubroom so they could both head home.

"Eh? You're going home?" Aoi asked. He looks a little surprised.

"Yeah."

"Alone?" Kaiya rolls her eyes.

"Yes, I can handle myself." _Please say you'll come with._ A selfish thought spoke, passing through her mind before she managed to shake it off.

"I wish I can send you home, and even though you are capable, walking alone is dangerous." Aoi said as he hummed, to think of a solution. His eyes widen, and he snaps his fingers.

"Kozumi!" Kaiya looks at Aoi puzzled, but having a sudden thought of knowing what her childhood friend is thinking, makes her a little more cautious.

"Aka?"

"Yeah, he can send you home. I pretty sure he's free by now." Aoi said with a smile, and turn towards to the red haired teen, who is usually surrounded by his fan club, and never noticed that Kaiya has a look in her eyes to say 'abort mission'.

"Wait! You don't have to-"

"Kozumi, can you come here for a sec?" Kaiya internally sighs. Well there is no helping it now, as she watches the red haired teen strolling towards them while simultaneously ignoring his fan girls that are trailing behind him like puppies.

"Of course, Nakamori."

"Are you free this afternoon?" Aka shrugged, in a way, he does have spare time, if he isn't creepy in a sense of stalking. There is no way she's leading him back to her house.

"I do have some spare time." The red haired male said languidly, glancing at her, but she's not paying attention, actually, it's more like Kaiya rolls her eyes at how predictable her best friend is.

"Great, you can walk Kaiya home then!"

"Great…" Kaiya mutters sarcastically while Aoi shoots her a disapproving look. Aka smiles good naturally at this, doesn't mind at how Kaiya is acting in his presence.

"I don't see why not." An awkward silence insures in the walk back home, and Kaiya decides to face the music. Being escorted by one of the people you have indecisive trust with tends to do that.

"How are you doing Kuroba-san?" Aka asked politely.

"Fine, thank you. How's school doing for you?"

"All good."

"You seem popular as always."

"Jealous?" Kaiya inwardly scoffed, there isn't a point to be jealous over someone who tried to mind control her into being part of his harem.

"Not really."

"You should be careful of that raven, even though dove and raven have similar goals. The raven is most cunning of all." Kaiya shrugs, the fact that Aka said that before doesn't even bother her.

"Lucifer told me, however, I do have faith that the bad girl I know of will escape the raven's hold." Kaiya aims an annoyed glare at the red head wizard.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Kaiya was yanked back by a hand taking captive of her wrist.

"I'm pretty sure you do, my midnight dove."

"For a one thousand times, I am not Kid-" Kaiya was about to say something when she freezes at hearing a familiar voice.

"Kuroba-san?" Looking behind her, rather stiffly due to shock, she see's Kudo Shinichi in his Tei Tan uniform, looking at her with puzzlement, azure flickered to Aka, before they look back at her. Hands in his pockets, he strode forward to them with confusion. Taking the distraction to her advantage, the magician yanked her wrist out of Aka's grasp, who'd sighed tiredly at her antics.

"Kudo-kun, what are you doing here?"

"I was in the neighborhood, there was a homicide case couple blocks away and I was looking for an apology gift."

"For your girlfriend?" It wasn't surprising that Kudo and Conan's Nee-chan got together officially after he came back from the two year long FBI case, according to the news article she read about, but it doesn't add up on where Tantei-kun went.

"Do you know any good shops? Oh yes, are you going to introduce me to your friend?" Shinichi said with an apologetic smile, glancing at Aka and looking at him curiously and a little wary.

"I know a couple, and this is Kozumi Aka. He was about to leave, right Kozumi-san?" Aka withheld a heavy sigh, this was the raven that he was talking about to Kaiya, but it looks like Kaiya doesn't need any sort of advice.

"Just heed my advice, Kuroba-kun." With that, Aka leaves towards his house, without turning around. Shinichi, once, reviewing the scene occurring something, felt that he might have stepped on something he shouldn't have intruded in.

"He seems upset. Did you turn him down or something?" The detective of the East asked, throat feels a little soother and smoother. He blinks, and frowns momentarily at how Kaiya looks at Aka's back with something of wary concern, before looking back at him with a politer smile.

"Or something. He's one of the few people that accuses me of being Kaitou Kid." Shinichi blinks, and he feels the corner of his mouth twitches almost to an amused smile.

"Isn't Kaitou Kid rumored to be a guy?" Kaiya rolled her indigo eyes on this.

"Tell that to him and Hakuba."

"Hakuba-san? As in Hakuba Saguru? He goes to your school?" Shinichi blinks and asks in surprise, huh, that something you don't expect.

"Yeah, his accusations are pretty annoying. There isn't enough proof and DNA evidence can only go so far." Kaiya said, gestured Shinichi to a direction of shops she knows well of.

"Huh. I didn't know you know about forensics or laws." He said absently, not looking at her when she looks at him in surprise.

"Someone got me interested in them." Shinichi looks at her, finally noticing that they've passed some stores and restaurants, but neither are what he's looking for Ran.

"Who?" He blinks, and he notices the smile. Something different than the one she worn earlier and vastly so compared to the strained connection with Aka.

"A friend, he's someone that I miss dearly." Was it a moment? He isn't sure, but Shinichi shakes it off from his mind.

"What is he like?"

"Snarky, smart, and has a moral fiber that you can very much admire." He hums curiously, there aren't that many people he knows of with that kind of character.

"He sounds interesting. I could probably get along with him." Kaiya finally looks at him, and smiles marginally at this. She can easily imagine on how Tantei-kun and Kudo get along quite easily. On the other hand, she shivers, that may not be a good idea either. Especially with the rumored luck that Kudo seems to have. It's probably not wise.

"Maybe."

"Where is he now?" Her hands gripped her school bag a little tight. She misses her small rival since he has left the country from what she heard.

"I honestly don't know, that's what got me a little worried." Her companion stops, and it only took her a minute to realizes he's observing some picture frames from one of the stores in Ekoda.

"He'll turn up soon. Maybe I could help you look for him." It was subtle, it feels like he's trying to comfort her in an awkward way.

"Maybe." Kaiya tries not to see that the person she's walking with, has a familiar gleam and shade of eyes that reminds her of someone. She heard that Kudo Shichini and Edogawa Conan are relatives, that doesn't mean they are the same right? Kaiya inwardly laugh nervously, there is no way that you can shrink yourself into a grade school kid and turn yourself back into an ordinary teen, right?

"What do you think of this?" He points to a metal frame with crystals design of flowers and hearts.

"I don't know, I was thinking maybe you should get a bouquet of flowers for her as an apology. Girls like that, although I wouldn't suggest you give it indirectly though. Directly is more personal, and probably most liked in the situation you are in now." Kaiya suggested, there are probably other ways to do apology gifts such as chocolates or homemade meal, but flowers are one of the things that you can't go wrong with, especially if the person is someone you know well.

"Thanks." She watches him pay for the flowers and the arrangement of the bouquet in the next store. Checking on the watch, she inwardly winced. She needs to go, she needs to do her part time job.

"You're welcome. I better go, it's getting a little late." Shinichi checks his watch, and raised a brow at this. It's barely even past 4:30.

"I can escort you home." Kaiya waves him off apologetically.

"It's fine, I know my way around here." She bolts before the teen detective can say anything, and shouts over her shoulder with a smile. "Thanks for the offer though!"

Leaving behind a curious and confused Shinichi, bouquet in his hand, and wondering if he should be worried or not.

* * *

Note: If any one of you ever play Cytus or Deemo from Rayark Inc., please make sure to play and listen to 'The Black Case' from KillerBlood. If not, you can easily find it on Youtube, KillerBlood's username is KB Yen. I'm getting the feels of Phantom Thieves, Kid's especially, due to how the song's composition.

Gomen - Short version of 'gomenasai', and the more colloquial way of saying sorry.

Maji - 'Seriously/Really?'

Matte - Wait


	3. The Friendly Second Day

A/N: I have no excuse, if I did, I would be bury under it with loads of writer's block piled up high to the sky.

* * *

 **The Friendly Second Day**

 _Two Months Ago_

 _Hi :) – Karate Girl_

 _Hello, since when did we use emoticons with each other? :) *jking jking* – Blue Child_. The teenage boy can't help but tease. It has been quiet for a couple days, minus the mayhem his best friend had done.

 _You don't want to?_ – _Karate Girl_

 _No, It's fine, just curious. – Blue Child_

 _I guess it's because I feel like we are best friends with each other now. – Karate Girl_. He blinks at the text, and wonders if it was too soon to be called a best friend.

 _You do realize that I might be a serial killer. – Blue Child_. The teenage boy replied in his text, with amusement.

 _Don't joke about that, and another thing, you won't harm me. – Karate Girl_

 _Why not? – Blue Child_

 _I doubt that you would because you'll make your crush sad because of it. Speaking of crush, have you started confessing yet? – Karate Girl._ From the text, it only sparks a fond memory of his mischievous best friend smile. He was honestly going to confess, but he hesitated for too long to miss the opportunity.

 _I was going to. – Blue Child_

 _What happened? – Karate Girl_

 _One of her many admirers got in the way. Did I forget to mention Kozumi Aka? – Blue Child_. While the teenage boy likes his crimson haired friend, there are times when he felt irritated with him with the way's he's flirting with his childhood friend.

 _Yes, yes you did. – Karate Girl_

 _Anyway, he has red hair and crimson eyes. He's the center of the school's attention and his own fan club. Funny enough, Kaiya, my best friend, never falls for his charms. – Blue Child_

 _That's good. That means you still have a chance of confessing to her. – Karate Girl._ He felt his lips twitch into an attempt of a smile, but he couldn't. His feelings for the girl that held his heart stopped feeling the same. It wasn't just the feel of the pen pal assignment that started the change. He just doesn't know what else changed.

 _Perhaps, I'll still try. Anyway, I have a club meeting tomorrow. – Blue Child._ He doesn't want his pen pal to be disappointed in him, despite the pen name confirming he's talking to a girl that wasn't his childhood best friend, he wants to keep the first impression that the person he's talking to viewed him.

 _You too? It seems like it's the time of the season. – Karate Girl._ This time he smiles and stares at the text.

 _Really? Which one? – Blue Child_

 _Karate, yours? – Karate Girl._ He blinks and proceeds to mentally slap himself. He originally thought that his pen pal is someone whose boyfriend is in one, not a club member.

 _Martial arts. – Blue Child._ There was a pause, and he blinks at the next message.

 _That's great. My friend's boyfriend is in Martial Arts club as well. – Karate Girl._ He smiles at this.

 _What a small world we live in. :D – Blue Child._

* * *

 _Present_

"Ohayo Kudo-kun!" Shinichi blinked at a rather cheerful Kaiya standing at his front door. Was it _normal_ to be this cheery in the morning at seven, especially on a weekday? He suppressed the incoming yawn that wormed up to his throat.

"Ohayo Kuroba-san, what are you doing here? Isn't your school all the way in Ekoda?" Shinichi asked, a little with curious suspicion.

"I woke up early," Cued the yawn, Kaiya doesn't mind. "you don't seem like a morning person. I brought coffee and toast."

"No, I'm not and you didn't wake me up. Agasa-hakase, my neighbor, wakes me up with his usual explosions." Shinichi replied and failing to suppress another silent yawn before he takes the offered breakfast.

"Um…" At this, cerulean blue eyes looked at her and blink, before remember about his own manners.

"Come on in." Shinichi said as he held the door a bit wider.

"Thank you for inviting me in."

"You're welcome." Shinichi said offhand, drowsily drinking the cup of coffee he's been given to wake up.

"So what brings you here?" He inquires the indigo eye girl, setting the bread bag on the kitchen table.

"I heard you got injured last night from chasing a murderer." Kaiya replies, a little amused to see Shinichi blinks a couple of times before remembers what she was talking about.

"Eh? Oh, it's nothing you need to worry about. It's just scrapes and bruises." He grumbles, and Kaiya's eyes scan for visible injury, but couldn't find much.

"You're sure?" Kaiya asks, uncertain and watches as Shinichi carefully shrugged. The murderer thankfully didn't have a knife on him, but that doesn't mean he couldn't fight. He is still smarting a bruise from a punch he hadn't managed to dodge in time.

"I'm sure, the murderer wasn't good with that knife. I had worse." At this reply, Kaiya was almost afraid to ask.

"Worse?"

"Yeah. Been poisoned, drowned, nearly killed by guns, knife, bomb and...Kuroba-san?" Shinichi looks at Kaiya, who had turned a few shades of pale despite poker face, with concern.

 _Kami, Meitantei-san either have the worst or ridiculous luck to still be here today and to think, if any of his rogue gallery had succeeded, I won't be able to meet him as a potential critic of Kid. The magician thief thought and she almost didn't hear the Heisei Holmes question._

"Kuroba-san, is everything alright?"

"Ye-yeah, how are you...?"

"Trust me, it sort of part of my life nowadays. Actually, now that I think about it, dead bodies seem to start to fall around me when I first solve a homicide case on an airplane." Shinichi said with a sardonic smirk. There was a beat of silence, and Kaiya is almost indignant of this answer. No chaser of Kid should be allowed to have these thoughts!

"It's not your fault! You can't control someone's actions in committing a homicide whenever you're in 5m radius!" If there was a beat of silence earlier, this is a long pause.

"Um..." Shinichi said sheepishly, and Kaiya face palms. She was exaggerating about that, but seriously?!

"You cannot be serious."

"Unfortunately, I am. Either I happen to be coincidental in the area where the murder is about to happen or something. Surprisingly, nearly all the murders stop whenever a Kid's heist occurs and there are a couple of rare cases whenever I'm in that has kidnapping cases, with zero fatalities." Kaiya sighs before managing to lift her face from her hand and gives the detective an awkward smile.

"That's...some skewered data you got there." She said hesitantly, to which Shinichi quirks the corner of his lips slightly.

"I know. So what brings you here besides checking up on me? And how did you know this address?"

"Just wanted to know where you live, as for how. Phonebook and 24-hour operator." Kaiya said, lying smoothly. Shinichi looks at her, thoughtfully.

"Why didn't I think of that?" He mumbles, and Kaiya is pretty sure she wasn't supposed to hear that.

"Huh?" Shinichi waves it off, taking another swig at the black liquid given to him.

"Oh it's nothing, thank you for the coffee and breakfast."

"You're welcome, I'll see you tomorrow?" He blinks and shrugged.

"Sure, just...I'll do you one better. May I have your cellphone number?" She raises an eyebrow.

"Uh sure." He rolls his cerulean eyes. She hands him her cellphone and he implants his phone number on the call list, hitting the call button and waits for his cell rings before ending it.

"It's for in case if we can't meet up at the usual place, we will let each other know." She grins at this.

"Good idea." Checking on her phone, she sees the number in the contact list and saves it under Meitantei-san. The Kid side of her snorts at this. Like hell, she'll let him know about the nickname she gives him.

"See you later." Kaiya said with a jaunty wave and leaves, leaving Shinichi to stare at her and shakes his head.

 _Its still way too damn early in the morning._

* * *

 _A month and a half ago_

The white-hot agony of feeling the bones stretching and reforming, skin and nerves growing surges through his body.

 _"We've found the cure." Ai said hesitantly, and Conan looks at her with concern confusion._

 _"That's good, right?"_

It's a familiar pain he remembers all too well, with each antidote to the poison in his body, a chance to feel his original age.

 _"Don't bring your hopes up, the tests I've done on my lab rats give a result of 50% to 30% survival rate. 12% of them showed no change at all, while the rest were unfortunate. The side effect is that your immune system will be out of whack for who knows how long, out of sync, along with your motor skills." Ai said stoically, ripping it like a cold band-aid._

 _"There is a chance, right?" Conan asks, looking at the pills wearily._

His own voice grown hoarse from his screams as his body, agonizing, changes to accommodate its original age, in one of the hidden rooms of the mansion. It wouldn't do well if his own neighbors and houseguest getting wind of his return or his physical agonized state.

 _"Yes, there is a chance. However, it's also risky." She said, watching his reaction._

 _"Then, it's a chance that I will take."_

Then he blacks out, unable to stay conscious as the antidote ravages through his body to eliminate the trace in his body.

 _"Taking it now is risky. They are still out there." Ai said sharply, emphasizing at the danger both of them are still under if they were to return to their old selves._

 _"I'll take it as soon as the whole mess is over." Conan amends, as soon as he got all the information and proof to put the Black Organization, he'll wait until that day comes and come after them as his adult self._

The next time he wakes up, he lay still on his bed. His body aches from the internal ravaging, and he finds himself staring in confusion. In a cautious but slow move, he raises both of his hands to his face, his tired eyes widen as he notes that they are older and he breathes even when his body aching and voice hoarse from the screams and thrashing.

 _Goodbye Edogawa Conan. He waves goodbye to the Shounen Tantei, Ran, Mouri, some of the Metropolitan police employees at the airport. He gets an Ayumi crying on his shoulder, extracting a promise of getting in touch through emails. Mitsuhiko and Genta having disgruntled and mixed feelings of goodbyes, through lighthearted punches and asking to write. The Metropolitan police detectives wished him luck and that they'll miss him. Mouri gives a like tap of his knuckles on his head, telling him to stay out of trouble. Last, but not least, was Ran, who gives him a heartfelt hug that feels tight enough to cut off his air supply, but doesn't._

Kudo Shinichi, Heisei Holmes and missing Teitan Student for the better part of two years has returned.

* * *

"You had us scared." Yuusaku remarks to his son as soon as he came too from an induced sleep, Yukiko had her arms wrapped around him tight.

"You seemed a little worried." Shinichi said to Hattori, who gives him a nervous grin.

"You never told me it was that painful." Ai, in her scientist coat, rolls her eyes at this.

"Of course it was painful, he went through the painful process of growing and shrinking bones, along with the nerve system and muscle mass." She quipped. Okiya raised an eyebrow, turning to the Heisei Holmes with a thoughtful frown.

"How do we proceed from here?" He inquires lightly, and Shinichi grins a shark grin back at him. All the chess pieces, information about the Black Organization employees and who to look for is in place.

"We got everything we need, now all we need to do is to go up the ladder. After that, we'll find the headquarters and their leader." Okiya blinks and gives Shinichi a mirror of that shark grin.

 _That day_ marked the beginning of the end for the Black Organization.

* * *

 _A Day after the End of Black Organization_

There _she_ was, at the gates with her best friend. Laughing, talking with _her_ without the care in a world. He's been waiting for this moment. They've been waiting for this very moment for when he can finally return safely. Sonoko's eyes look back, her eyes widen and started to form incoherent sentences. However, _she_ looked at her best friend in confusion. So on silent footsteps, he approached them. A hand gently touching _her_ shoulder, _she_ tenses and swivels around, hair flying and following her movement. Blue eyes widen in surprise, longing, and happiness.

"S-Shinichi…" He smiles.

"Ran." There were no more words after he said her name. She jumps up and wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him into a hug, cries into his shoulder and a singular thought is in her mind.

 _He's home._

* * *

Present Day

 _Ekoda Koku - Break Time_

 _Hello Kuroba-san. - Kudo Shinichi_

 _Any incident so far? - Kuroba Kaiya_

 _Don't joke about it. Things are relatively normal now. You should pay attention to your class. The teacher might be annoyed. - Kudo Shinichi._ Kaiya glances up to see the teacher still writing on the chalkboard.

 _She hasn't caught me yet. - Kuroba Kaiya_

 _Don't push it, I'll see you after school. Same place as usual, but I might have to leave early. I have plans tonight. - Kudo Shinichi_

"You're smiling." Kaiya nearly jumps; she looks behind her to see Aoi looking back at her with an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, why? I smile every day." The magician deadpanned.

"No, you misunderstood my point. What Aoi means is that you're smiling as if you're excited or happy." Indigo eyes narrowed back at another set of indigo eyes that look at her with curiosity.

"So what if I am?"

"Who is it? Is it someone that sent you a text just recently?" Aoi asked, and she feels a slight blush coming on at the implication and anxious at her hope that Aoi might be jealous.

"Sh-shut up." Instead of proving her theory, Aoi had the nerve to smirk.

"Aw your embarrassed, it's so cute." Kaiya sputtered quietly, she feels annoyed at how oblivious her childhood best friend. Cooling down her blush, she sent a mischievous smirk to him.

"Am not. You're the one who will be embarrassed in a minute." With a snap of fingers, a pink smoke engulfed Aoi.

"What are you on about- KAIYA!" Aoi screeched, drawing the attention to every classmate in the room and causing the other teen girls to squeal and red blushes. Aoi's gauken top was left untouched, the pants where gone.

"So blue stripe boxers today?" Kaiya said cheerfully, Aoi's pants in her hand. Mortified, Aoi sprang up and tries to swipe his pants back from his best friend clutches. His attempt failed when she sprang away from her chair and onto her desk.

"Give me back my pants BaKaiya!" Aoi hollered, bo staff out and ready to hit his best friend some sense.

"How cute." Our resident magic user said.

"Sensei?" One of the new recent students of class 3-B asks the teacher hesitantly.

"Yes?" The teacher asked resignedly.

"Kuroba-san and Nakamori-san are..." The teacher sighed at this, trying to not care about the chaos that's been usually caused by two of her top students in the whole class.

"You must be new here. Whatever you're thinking, this is a common occurrence and it's a norm. Don't try to understand it either. You better get used it." The teacher said, with a tone of no argument.

"H-hai."

"One and a half more year until I can finally retire." The teacher mutters under her breath, but unfortunately, it was heard by the one regularly disturbs her class.

"Aw Sensei, I didn't know you cared."

"BaKaiya, get back here!" Aoi had switched out the bo staff with his fish charm.

"Ack! Put that th-thing away from me!" Kaiya's indignant shriek was heard, and the teacher, Korno Erika, teacher of 3-B of Edoka Koku for five years, struggled not to let her head dropped against the chalkboard.

 _Crash!_ The sound of desks and chairs being overturned did it in.

 _Thunk!_ The bo staff hitting the resident magician's head.

"One and a half year cannot come sooner…" Erika murmured in helplessness defeat.

* * *

Tei Tan Koku - Lunch Break

"Please!" Sonoko said, clasping her hands together in a prayer in front of one unamused Kudou Shinichi.

"The answer is no." Said the high school detective with a blank look on his face.

"Oh c'mon, Shinichi-kun you owe me for leaving Ran-chan alone for almost two years." Shinichi twitched at this.

"At least I did try and defend her from the other guys!" Sera pointed out cheerfully, and with a sheepish laugh from Ran, Shinichi relented.

"Fine." He said with a sigh. As soon as he came back and with the Black Organization gone, he did intend to join in the heist, just not for this reason. "Where's the note?" He was handed with the affronted note, or rather Sonoko carefully handed him the heist note as if it was a treasure.

 _The Eleventh Carriage Awaits,_

 _I'll Dance at the 1000 Flowers,_

 _On the Day of Ides,_

 _Jordan's Treasure Shall Befall to Me._

 _\- Kaitou Kid_

 _Hm? I can understand the second to the fourth line of this riddle, but the first is a little confusing. Shinichi thought, by chance, he spots a passerby wearing a wristwatch with a Ferris Wheel design on its face, and the puzzle clicks. Could he possibly mean…_ A smirk crosses his lips, now it starts to make sense.

"Shinichi?"

"Oi meitantei, could you please explain away the riddle?" Shinichi slanted a deadpanned look at the Suzuki heiress.

"Kid says he'll dance at the 1000 Flowers, he's actually mentioning the place. 1000 means thousand, but it could also be referred to the word millennium." Shinichi explained the second sentence of the riddle, watching as realization gleamed in his audience's eyes.

"I get it, there are some hotels that have the word "Millennium." Sera said with a snap of her fingers.

"That's right, now the flowers is also the hint of the place as well." Ran and Sonoko blinked, like clock wheels in sync and said the answer to the hint the Heisei Holmes given.

"The Millennium Mitsu Garden Hotel in Tokyo!" (1)

"Right, now the third line says the 'Day of Ides'. 'Ides' is a Roman word and it usually means the 15th day of March, May, July or October." Ran frowned at this.

"But this month is September, and October isn't until next month." She explained her doubt on the wording.

"Yes, however Ides has another meaning as well. Ides, referring to the Early Roman Calendar, was dedicated to the planet Jupiter. Due to the fact that the Full Moon comes in the middle of each lunation, the day is often called Idus in Latin, thus the 'Day of Ides' refers to…" Shinichi explained with a smirk.

"The day of the Full Moon!" Ran, Sonoko, and Sera said in unison.

"That's on September 28, which is tomorrow night!" Sera said with a grin.

"Ne, ne, what does the first line and fourth line refer to…?" Sonoko asks, she can feel how close to have a romantic encounter with the mysterious white thief. _Funny how they always tune out whenever I used to brag about my cases and referring to Sherlock Holmes, and now they ask me about cases they are interested in. Especially when it concerns Sonoko. He blinks and looked at the notice with narrowed eyes. Still, though, why am I looking at the note now when it was aired on the news a week ago?_

"Shinichi!" Shinichi startled from his thoughts, looked at Ran who gives him an annoyed fond look.

"Eh?"

"Answer the question!" Ran said with an eyebrow raised.

"Ah right, the first line '11th Carriage' can be seen in different ways, a train or a Ferris Wheel. However, Kid isn't referring to an actual Ferris Wheel, but rather the time of the heist."

"Time?" Sera echoed.

"Mm, if you think about it, sometimes the Ferris Wheel reminds you of a clock." Shinichi explained.

"Ah, that makes sense, and if we halt the Ferris Wheel for a while, the eleventh carriage means…" Ran trailed off, to which Sera finished the sentence.

"11:00 pm at night."

"Kid-sama!" The other three blinked at the blond girl, watching as she fangirled at the revelation of most of the riddle being solved and so close to being with someone like Kid.

"Anyway, the fourth line?" Sera asked, and Shinichi complied.

"The fourth line, 'Jordan's Treasure' refers to the Smithsonian Institute exhibition that's going on, and the jewel being referred to was a woman named after Mrs. Lee Jordan who donated the said jewel at 1960. The Jordan's Sapphire." Shinichi finished, handing the note back to Sonoko.

"Finally, I can see it all. Kid-sama and I sharing a romantic stare and he'll confess his undying love for me." Sonoko said with a dreamy sigh, absently taking the note from Shinichi.

"What about Kyogoku-kun?" Ran asked with an unimpressed stare, following the exact same thoughts as her boyfriend, who happens to mirror the same expression at the Suzuki heiress. Sera, however, was giving Sonoko an amused look.

"I-I think we can figure out something." Sonoko said with a nervous laugh and feels sweat dripping at the back of her head. Shinichi lift's an eyebrow at this as if asking 'are-you-serious?'.

"Huh." At this, she took a step backward and inching for the door leading to the hallway.

"Anyway, I'll better get those invitations immediately. You and your hubby play nice." Sonoko bolted, leaving Ran and Shinichi blushing slightly. Sera followed after Sonoko, saying to the couple that she has something she needed to do.

"You would think…that after she's dating Kyogoku-san, she would lessen some of her…" Shinichi said, looking at the direction where Sonoko took off.

"…fan girl tendencies?" Ran said, sharing the same look with Shinichi.

"Yes." Shinichi said tiredly. There was a beat of silence before both of them sighed.

"I'll pick you up at 7 pm?" Shinichi asked, to which Ran gives him a small smile.

"Sure, I have to finish up a part of the assignment about my pen pal." He blinks.

"You have a pen pal?" He echoed, and she sighed.

"Shinichi," Ran gives him a pointed look. "didn't I tell you that I was one of the chosen students in Japan to do this assignment for extra credit?"

"...It might have slipped my mind." He hedged.

"What am I going to do with you, meitantei geek? Where have you been?" Ran teased.

"Taking down an organized crime that deals with assassinations, blackmail, illegal smuggling, the works." Shinichi replied back sardonically.

"I was being rhetorical." Ran said deadpanned.

"I was being sarcastic, but really, what this about the assignment and you being one of the chosen students?" He asked, a little exasperate.

"Fine, I'll humor you." Ran has a fond smile on her face.

"Chosen students are mostly a couple of students in a school in Japan that are rated for the grades, attendances, credits, and background. From this, we are matched up with a student from another school, and we're given IM ids and emails to contact them. Those are our pen pals."

"And you volunteered for this?" Shinichi asked a little skeptically, only to be replied back with an annoyed glare.

"Is that a problem?"

"No, it's not. What is this program for anyway?" Shinichi said nervously.

"It's a study and research from Tokyo U, psychology department, in order to show if there are any changes in a bond with an unknown stranger and with a friend."

"So you, you're pen pal and the chosen high school students all over Japan, are basically guinea pigs in this assignment from a group of what could be amateur researchers at Tokyo U?" Shinichi summed it up, and Ran blinked. Her annoyed frown gives way to a sheepish smile.

"…When you put it like that way, it sounds a little ridiculous, doesn't it?" Shinichi feels the corner of his lips twitched.

"You think. Though what is the purpose of all this?"

"According to the research group, it's a way to find the signs of say suicide, cyberbullying, any other crimes that high school students might cause. It's not just that, but it also helps with say mental issues or people that want to open up. High school students that commit murders aren't common, but not impossible. The bonus is either a long time friend or a valuable friend. You won't believe how easy it is to talk to a stranger about problems instead of your friends. I guess it's because strangers aren't liable for being biased." Shinichi smiled at this. It's nice to see her passionate like this.

"You certainly thought this through. How long this been going on?"

"Since three months ago." He scrunched his eyebrows, slightly more curious about this program.

"Are you allowed to figure out who is your pen pal?" Ran nodded.

"Certainly."

"Sounds interesting, when can I sign up?" At Shinichi's question, Ran gives him a sympathetic smile.

"Unfortunately the deadline for sign up had ended on the first month since this project been started." Shinichi hummed at this, there isn't much that can be done.

"Oh, do you have a clue on who your pen pal is?"

"He calls himself Blue Child, around our age and lives in Ekoda." Shinichi blinks, and blink again to check his hearing. Huh, Kuroba-san lives in Ekoda.

"He?" He looks at her in surprise, to which Ran gives him a teasing grin.

"Yes, jealous?" He scoffs.

"As if." She rolled her eyes. The bell rang, signaling that lunch break is over, and the couple packed away their lunch.

"I'll see you at 7 pm?" Ran asks hesitantly, Shinichi looks at her and his smile softens.

"Yup." Her face blooms with a bright smile.

"Where are you taking me this time?" She asks with a curious smile. Shinichi gives a cheeky grin, a finger touching his lips.

"Somewhere special."

It never occurred to them that the lack of jealousy on his side should've been there and that both had fallen into comfortable routines that neither knew how to get out of.

* * *

A/N: My god, overcoming a writer's block in writing this chapter is a nightmare. Also, Kaiya, much like Kaito, has a perchance of pranking people, especially Aoi, Hakuba, and her beloved Kid Taskforce.

(1) – The actual location of a hotel in Tokyo, Japan.


	4. The Night of The Third Day

Note: I sincerely apologized for the delay, was drowning in another fandom to speak. ^_^'

* * *

 **The Night of the Third Day**

 _One Month Ago_

She feels happiness brimming inside her, floating on clouds at the euphoria of having him back in her life, no need for hiding anymore or phone calls or any of those. He is here to stay. Most of all, he said yes to be her boyfriend. She eagerly texts to her pen pal about the news she had about today.

 _Hi Blue Child! How are you doing? Guess what?! – Karate Girl_. There's a pause before her cell phone screen lights up in reply.

 _Hi Karate Girl! I'm doing well. I take its good news? – Blue Child._

 _It is! You know about that guy I told you who confessed to me? He's here to stay! He said he was able to finish up some things that took so long to finish and he apologizes for not being around much as he used to be before he left. – Karate Girl._ Almost quickly, she receives the reply.

 _That's great. You must be really happy. :D – Blue Child._ She smiles slightly at this.

 _How about your side? – Karate Girl._ This time the pause is a lengthy one before Blue Child answered.

 _I don't think now is a good time. – Blue Child._ She stares, feels concern float into her heart for her pen pal.

 _Why not? She couldn't have turned you down. – Karate Girl._ The pause was longer than the earlier one, she wasn't how long did it take for Blue Child to reply, but he eventually did.

 _She didn't. I didn't tell her. She looks sad today. I can't explain how I know this, but she isn't happy now. I think something has happened to her or someone she knows, but she's rather tight-lipped about it. – Blue Child._ She sighs, feels sadden for her pen pal and the feelings for this girl he has feelings for.

 _Well, when this happens, cheer her up. – Karate Girl._

 _I guess- oh shoot. I can't believe I'm an idiot. – Blue Child._ She stares back at her cell screen in surprise, and once again concern sweeps into her.

 _What's wrong? – Karate Girl_

 _Her late father's anniversary is tomorrow. This marks the tenth anniversary for her to visit her father's grave. I can't believe I've forgotten about it. – Blue Child._ She flinched, feeling for the other girl that caught her penpal's heart and a sting inside her that she chose to ignore.

 _Yeah, you are definitely an idiot. – Karate Girl._ The reply is quick, and she couldn't help but let out a playful smirk.

 _Hey! You're supposed to be on my side! – Blue Child._

 _Some best penpal you are. – Blue Child._ She lets out a small laugh, glad that Blue Child is feeling better.

 _I'm sorry, I'm sorry. That was tactless of me. ^_^' Please accept my apologies oh Great One! – Karate Girl._

 _This Great Blue Child humbles in your apologies and accepts them. – Blue Child._ Unbeknownst to her, after reading the reply, her playful smirk margins into a soft smile that she already reserved for one person.

 _Are you feeling better now? – Karate Girl._

 _Yeah, thank you Karate Girl ^_^. – Blue Child._

 _You're welcome. – Karate Girl._

 _So as per agreement for one hint per day, my father is a police inspector. How about yours? – Blue Child._ Huh, she had forgotten about that. So far she only knew Blue Child being the only child, friends with Hakuba Saguru, is in a martial arts club, wants to be a police detective and has a crush on his childhood friend. It's funny on how their scenarios are so similar.

 _Mine's a private eye. – Karate Girl._

 _Is he good? – Blue Child._

 _He had moments, but he's getting better. – Karate Girl._ The moment was lost as soon as the steam from a pot whistles into the air.

 _I have to go. I need to make some tea for my father. – Karate Girl._ She waits for a minute for a reply, and the notification she receives didn't fail her.

 _Ok, talk to you later then. Bye Karate Girl and good luck with him. – Blue Child_. She smiles, sets her phone down, and begins to prepare tea. She'll write the other part of this project later.

* * *

 _Present_

Shinichi, Ran and Sonoko were all walking home together chatting. Or preferably, today is the day that Sonoko continues to talk from miles and miles with no end in narrating how she and Kid will have a romantic meeting and dinner. Sera, the lucky girl, had managed to avoid today's imagination and said that she'll be meeting up with her brother.

"Shinichi-niichan!/Ran-oneechan/Sonoko-oneechan! Kudo-kun." The group blinks at hearing their names called out from behind them. The teen sleuth, his girlfriend and her best friend turn around to look behind them and see Ai, Genta, Mitsuhiko and Ayumi running towards them in excitement. Well, the former three did, the former is continuing on in her own pace.

"Hello, if it isn't the Shonen Tantei." Shinichi greeted them, Genta, Ayumi, and Mitsuhiko beamed at him with a smile.

"Hey, Shinichi-niichan, will you bring us to the Kaitou Kid heist?" Mitsuhiko asks cheerfully. Shinichi blinks, and hesitates, eyes looking to Haibara who greets him with a mischief smiles as if it to say 'I-dare-you-to-turn-them-down-when-you-are-not-Edogawa-Conan.'

"Er well…" Shinichi trails off. As Conan, he would've joined in the pleading. As Shinichi, that's a different story, especially if Ran is giving him the eyes as if trying to say I-dare-you-to-say-yes-and-endangering-these-children look.

"You're in luck. We've got extra tickets for you." Sonoko injected with a big smile and Ran shoots a glare at her before sighing.

"Alright! We get to help Shinichi-niisan chased after Kid." Genta cheerfully whooped, and Ayumi laughs excitedly.

"Count me out, I have something I need to do." Ai said, but Ran tilts her and looks at her with a curious face.

"Ai-chan, Amuro-san sort of expected you there." Haibara stills at Ran's words and Shinichi raised an eyebrow at this. He feels a sardonic smile trying to edge onto his face if it weren't for Haibara's glare at him. _And no matter how you look at this sort of relationship, it's still a little off_. Shinichi thinks.

"Unfortunately, the time is 11pm on a school night. I don't think we can bring…you…" Cue three puppy dog eyes aimed at Ran. She finds herself hesitating in her words in saying 'no' to them.

"Please!" The three children beg at Ran with wide eyes, their lips jutting out into adorable pouts simultaneously.

"As long as each of your parents is ok with it." Ran amends, smiling hesitantly.

"Yeah!" Ayumi, Genta, and Mitsuhiko cheered, and Haibara sighs at this before shaking her head in exasperated fondness. Ran giggles hesitantly before she checked her watch and her eyes widen.

"Ah! I need to do a session today!" Ran said with a panic cry. Shinichi blinks, and look at his girlfriend's slight panic look.

"Wow, you must be really dedicated to this assignment." Shinichi remarks, and he feels an elbow jab into his stomach. He gives a deadpan stare at Sonoko who smirks slyly at him. "Feeling jealous yet, Shinichi-kun?"

"It's ok, and no I don't feel jealous." Shinichi retorts back, and if he's surprised as to why he doesn't feel jealous yet, he doesn't show. Sonoko snickers at this. Escorting Ayumi, Genta, and Mitsuhiko back to their homes, Sonoko finds herself in need to go. Citing that she needs to be ready for her magician idol.

"Don't forget about tonight!" Sonoko chirped with a wave, and off she went. Leaving Ran, Shinichi, and Haibara alone.

"Right." Ran said wryly, waving back at her best friend while Shinichi rolls his eyes.

"Any plans tonight?" Shinichi asks his girlfriend as they continue on their track to her home. Haibara wisely kept quiet, observing their interaction with a critical eye. The shrunken chemist notices that something between them has changed, but couldn't quite put the finger on. Haibara shrugs, it's not like it's her business anyway as she half listens and half following after couple.

"Yeah, going to have a regular dinner with kaa-san and tou-san." Ran said with a determined look in her eyes with an equally determined smile on her face.

"Still setting them up again, aren't you?" Shinichi teased, he was rewarded with a light shove in the shoulder and a mock glare. His girlfriend's mock glare failed to hold up by the corner of her lips itching to turn itself into an excited smile.

"Can you blame me? This is my place, I better go get ready, the restaurant we are going into is strictly formal." Ran said as they arrived at the 'Mouri Detective Agency.' The group could hear the cheers faintly from the jockey race through the open window.

"Ah." Shinichi said with a soft smile, Ran blinks and returns the soft smile with a slight blush.

"Wish me luck?" His girlfriend asks, and Shinichi looks at her confused.

"Good luck?" Ran blinks and snickers at her boyfriend's confused words.

"You are hopeless." Ran remarks teasingly with a light laugh. Shinichi pouted, making her laugh even more. Calming down, she softly smiles at her boyfriend and walks a little closer. She stands on her tiptoes and near his ear.

"Thank you for dinner last night, Shinichi. It's nice. I'm surprised that your bad luck didn't come in and interrupt." Ran whispers, kisses his cheek before moving away with a soft smile.

"That was one time!" Shinichi said indignantly at her despite the slight blush on his face, and she giggles at him. She goes up the stairs to her apartment, her light giggles flowing up into the sky like little notes of a melody.

"Try too many!" Ran giggles out over her shoulder, and Shinichi huffs before going on his way to escort Haibara back home despite the diminutive chemist not needing it. Haibara showed her displeasure by rolling her eyes but resigns to walking next to Shinichi as they walk back to Agasa's house over in the Beika district.

* * *

 _Somewhere in Ekoda_

After a sending Haibara to Agasa's house and stumbling upon a straightforward murder case in Ekoda, Shinichi somehow bumps into Kaiya. The girl was on her way to back home with some groceries in a striped shirt and gray sweatpants. After a small talk, neither of them is sure who bought up the moonlight thief into the conversation, and Kaiya nearly choked on her milk bubble tea at hearing that name.

"Kaitou Kid?" Kaiya said her alter ego name, she looked at Shinichi with indigo eyes in surprise.

"Mn." Shinichi hums, nursing a cup of coffee he knows he's going to need it for tonight.

"May I ask what brought this on?" Kaiya asks a little confused and a little wary as to why a teen homicide detective of his caliber would be interested in a magician thief like her alter ego. Then again, Conan, she mused wistfully, was like that too.

"I'm curious as to know what you think of Kid." Shinichi said with a shrug, and Kaiya inwardly sighs in relief, it's nothing to do with interrogating on the spot or Hakuba's widely known theories of her being the phantom thief even though it's true.

"I think Kid is amazing! He's doing really great magic, and I can't help but be wowed by it." Kaiya said excitedly, mimicking her excited expression of an adoring fangirl to hide her nervousness.

"I'm sure." Shinichi said, dryly amused at her reaction. His words caught her in surprise.

"That's it?" Kaiya asks in surprise, a little disappointed at that reaction but not surprised.

"What do you expect?" Shinichi said with a shrug, and she shook her head as she nudged at his side with no force.

"Which side are you on?" Kaiya asks jokingly.

"I guess Anti-Kid, but for different reasons entirely." Shinichi said with a casual smirk, and Kaiya isn't surprised for Shinichi to be an anti-kid person but is surprised about saying he has different reasons for being an anti-kid. Shaking off those thoughts that she needs to look over, Kaiya gives the teen detective a playful smirk.

"I bet you can't catch Kid." Kaiya said with a playful tone to which Shinichi snorted and returns a playful smirk of his own.

"Oh, I don't know. I pretty much-cornered Kid on one of his heists, and I've only been on one." The teen sleuth said, and this time Kaiya is more surprised than earlier. If her heart is beating fast, she ignores it in favor of curiosity and slight panic inside of her at hearing Kudo Shinichi went to one of her heists but didn't say anything about it.

"What? When? Did you see his face?" Kaiya asks with excitement like any normal fangirl, but behind her poker face she's panicking and rakes through her memories of _when_ and _which one of her_ heist the Heisei Homes of the East had actually participated in.

"Now that's revealing a secret," Shinichi said with a cheeky grin and a wink, his finger against his lips and Kaiya would've have pouted if she isn't busy staring. The palms of her hands felt a little sweaty despite not feeling sweaty earlier. She didn't hear a fleeting thought going through her mind of thinking that the current mischievous look on the teen detective looks very attractive. "and I think this is your home right?" He gestures to the yellow house in front of him, and Kaiya snaps out of her trance, suppressing the sudden urges to blush at the spot.

"Um yeah," Kaiya said, surprised that she had stuttered a bit and she never stuttered before, Kaiya inhales and opens the front gate of her house before looking over her shoulder. The magician thief gives the teen sleuth a smile. Curious as to when the teen detective did visit a Kid heist. "will you tell me about it tomorrow?"

"Of course." Shinichi said with an answering smirk, and Kaiya has to snap herself out of falling for this one, closing the gate behind her. She hastily waves goodbye, opens and closes her front door behind. A familiar burn on her cheeks and she stares at the floor below her in surprise.

 _What on earth is going on?_ Kaiya wonders bewilderedly, she quickly checks on her photo with her longtime crush and feels her heartbeat still beating fast for the smile on Aoi's face. Sighing in relief, she puts her picture down and begins to get ready for tonight's heist. Starting with a disguise as one of the staff at the hotel.

* * *

 _Millennium Hotel_

 _Everything has started so well_. Kaiya thought sarcastically as she was dodging officers of the task force that suddenly gotten so smart and thinking steps ahead to avoid getting captured.

Finally climbing to an air vent in one of the hallways of the hotel, she crawled through it and was stiffened in a short second upon being found out by a task member.

 _Oi, oi. When did they get an upgrade?! That bastard isn't..._ Kaiya eyes narrowed and begin to rake through her mind as to why she felt like deja vu after being cornered.

 _Someone is helping them like that time back in the Clock Tower, but who?_ In retrospect, she should've listened to Aka's warning, but didn't want to for a personal reason as she kept crawling through the vent. Ever since the incident of the Blue Birthday, she's taken upon herself in wearing the kevlar vest under the blue button shirt, with some chest restraints and padding around her waist, to show by appearance, that her alter ego is a male. _Now though_ , a Kid's smirk forming on her face, _let's see if I could get out of this and make it to the roof._

Somehow managing to reach the rooftop with a few close calls, in her white Kid uniform, she bursts out of the hotel's fire escape on the roof. Presenting Jordan's Sapphire on to the rooftop with the moon shining, she finds herself a little disappointment that the jewel itself shone a brilliant blue light, but never the color she wanted.

"Hello, Kid." And that bad feeling came back out again. Kaiya knew that voice from anywhere, and she glanced over her shoulder, poker face barely holding on from the sudden surprise. Sporting a white shirt, blue suit and brown loafers, a haughty arrogant and familiar smirk stood Kudo Shinichi.

"Well, well this is surprising. I was expecting a chibi-tantei to be on this roof." The Kid said smoothly with a well-placed grin. Kaiya however, was left in a confused panic behind the mask. Kudo, while attractive, tensed for a second but relaxed in his posture. He frowned at this.

"You...haven't heard?" Kudo asks in curiously and a little confused. How he worded that question, Kaiya feels the hair stands up at the back of her neck.

"Heard what?" She asks smoothly, looking at Kudo warily.

"He's not coming back, he went home." Of all answers, his answer was not the answer she expects. Her poker face nearly cracks in surprise.

" _What?"_ Kaiya hiss in surprise in her Kid persona, and Kudo shifts in his position, watching her reaction.

"His parents came back and said it was safe to come back to the States." Kudo explains. He sees something glinting in the shadows of an adjacent rooftop from behind Kid. His brilliant mind takes a half a second in recognizing, his blood stills inside his body.

"Do you have the address-?!" Kaiya asks, wanting closure but its when Kudo made a sudden movement that catches her surprise.

"Get down Kid!" Kudo shouted as he pounced on her, tackling Kaiya to the ground and interrupting her. Her indigo eye widens behind the monocle at the feeling the full force of the unprecedented tackle. A bullet hit the roof where she once stood, and Kaiya's eyes widen, her heart beating fast from the adrenaline. Despite being pressed close to the detective's athletic body, she feels something wet on his arm, and she pales at seeing fresh blood on her glove hand.

"Meitantei-san!" Kaiya shouted worriedly, cursing Snake under her breath, how did she not notice him lurking around?! Kaiya's hand reaches up to the wound on Shinichi's arm before he grunted, taking hold of her arm and drags her to the shadows of the fire escape. The detective lets 's go of her arm, his hand closed around his wound on his other arm, and Kudo looks at Kaiya with fierce eyes.

"Go now." The teen sleuth tells her. Both of them can hear the oncoming running footsteps of the Kid's taskforce racing up to the roof.

"Meitantei-san…" Kaiya hesitates, and Kudo growls at her.

"Go, you have a reason being Kaitou Kid right? Then go!" She stiffens, and a part of Kaiya wants to shot at the sniper with her card gun to disarm him, but she knew at this vast range, it's risky. She nods, drops a smoke bomb as soon as Nakamori-keibu and the taskforce bursts through the fire escape and blends in. After making sure the detective is alright, she left the scene.

* * *

 _Agasa Residence_

"You looked bothered, Kudo-kun." Haibara said, viciously poking at the bandaged wound around Shinichi's arm. Thankfully it was a cut, but gun wounds tend to create burns on a person's skin. Shinichi flinched at that poke.

"Haibara." As if sensing what the Heisei Holmes want to talk with her about, Haibara stops poking on the wound and crosses her arms.

"Does it have something to do with the Kid heist?" Haibara asks, pinpointing on that's what Shinichi wants to talk about. He nods.

"Does the Black Organization have any branches?" Shinichi asks, Haibara withholds the urge to freeze about the former organization she once belonged to before looking at him confused. For as long as she had stayed at the Black Organization, there was no word of the organization branching out despite it having multiple of departments.

"Not that I know of, why?" Haibara asks warily.

"At Kid's heist, a sniper was trying to snipe at Kid. By any chance does the word "Snake" means anything to you?" Shinichi asks with a frown. He remembers the angry hiss of 'Snake' from Kid's mouth. Haibara frowns, looking back at her memories of her time with the Black Organization, but came up with nothing.

"No, but I pretty sure one of your connections might do." Haibara suggested. It's entirely possible for another organization that's in the shadows with the Black Organization.

"Thanks, Haibara." Shinichi said with a nod, Haibara nods back.

"Kudo-kun…" Haibara said, a mischievous smirk spreading on her lips, at that smile, Shinichi looks at her warily.

"What?" Shinichi asks warily.

"Do you like Mouri-chan?" Haibara asks. Shinichi frowns at her question.

"Yeah, why?" Shinichi asks, not sure what she's getting at. Then her smile sharpens to a smirk.

"How about Kid?" The surprise of that question caused him to incredulously, looking at Haibara like a gaping fish.

"Wha?! Wh-Why would you?!" Shinichi stutters, an incredulous flush on his face. He doesn't understand as to _why_ she would ask that question when he's already in a relationship. After a few seconds, he grimaced, he doesn't want to know.

"Nothing." The shrunken chemist said breezily, heading for bed.

"Huh?" The flush receding, Shinichi looks at Haibara confused and feeling like his feathers had been ruffled.

"You better hurry up and make up your mind, or you'll end up hurting two people." Haibara said nonchalantly, and Shinichi's cerulean blue eyes widen.

"Haibara!"

* * *

 _Kuroba Residence_

In Ekoda, and possible in confused puzzlement in her own house and bedroom sat the person behind the mask of Kaitou Kid. Curled up in her chair, Kaiya holds a pillow to her chest as she stares at her desk as if it contained the answers to the universe. The heist night was a failure, but it was fun. The Jordan's Sapphire, despite its mysterious history, isn't Pandora, which is a relief since it's such a pretty thing as well. She had slipped the heist jewel into Meitantei's pocket, not really feeling up to delivering it to Nakamori-keibu despite being next-door neighbors. The source of current puzzlement and questions is her new friend, Kudo Shinichi.

 _Why did he save me?_ I _was the one who didn't want him to be in the crossfire. No one gets injured on a Kid heist._ Kaiya thought as she curled inward, hugging the pillow closer. The memory of her in uniform and pressed up to the detective when he's shielding her from the gunfire made her face warm, and she shook her head, trying to shake out that image from her head.

 _Stop it! He has a girlfriend, and you like Aoi! It was an accident, and he was trying to protect you from being sniped._ That train of thought only served to make her worry her lip more.

 _Things would be much easier if you aren't mysterious and interesting, Meitantei-kun._ Kaiya blinks, blushes slightly at the nickname floating around in her head.

 _Since when did Meitantei-san become Meitantei-kun? Argh! Not again!_ Kaiya groans and muffles the noise against the pillow.

"Why do you have to be so interesting Meitantei-kun?" Kaiya steadfastly ignores as to how the nickname feels on her tongue since an even more burning question had settled into her mind.

 _Where are you Tantei-kun? Why didn't you say goodbye to me?_


End file.
